Tack-driver.



J, P. GARDNER.

. TACK DRIVER.

- APPLICATION FILED DBO. 29. 1913. 1,106,646.. Patented Aug. 11, 19m,

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J. P. GARDNER.

TACK DRIVER.

APPLIGATIQN FILED B30129, 1913.

1,106,646. Patented Aug. 11,1914

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JOHN P. GARDNER, OF CAIRO, ILLINOIS.

TACK-DRIVER.

GARDNER, a

- ings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in tack drivers and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which willbe of improved and simplified construction and operation as well as highly eflicient and efi'ective in use.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which will be of improved construction and operation, composed ofa comparatively small number of parts, which may be readily replaced should they become worn or broken.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having an improved form of tack guiding and feeding means which will be automatic in operation.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be of such construction that it may be manufactured in various sizes for driving tacks and the like of various sizes.

A further object is to provide a device of this character constructed in such manner as to be especially adaptedfor use in driving brads and which will feed only one brad at a time to the discharge end of the device upon each inward movement of the plunger. With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel construetions, combinations, and arrangements of arts to be hereinafter more fully descri ed, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in. which,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my complete device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sec-- tional View on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view at right angles to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the tack guiding and releasing means; Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 29, 1913.

Patented Aug. ilil, 1914:. Serial No. 809,348.

6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the lower end of the funnel-shaped guide; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 8; Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view through the trigger bar and parts carried thereby; Fig. 10 is a de-.

tail transverse sectional view on the line 10-1O of Fig. 2; Fig. 11 isa fragmentary detail view, partly in section, showing the manner in which the upper end of the barrel is secured upon the lower end of the fun nel-shaped guide; and Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view on the line 12'12 of Fig. 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 designates the hollow body of the device, and 2 the handle which is secured to the main or body portion 1 of the device, as shown at 3.

At the upper end of the barrel is positioned the tack feed hopper 4, the upper end or which is closed by the cap 5. The bottom 6 of thefeed hopper 4 is flat and has a portion perforated, as shown at 7.

Beneath the perforated portion 7 of the feed hopper bottom 6 is the funnel shaped guide 8, the small or lower end of which is curved, as shown at 9, and extended transversely in the upper or inner end of the body 1, as shown at 10. The curved and perforated portions of the lower end of the funnel shaped guide -8 are provided with the longitudinal slot 11 in the lower faces thereof with its outer end enlarged, as shown at 12, whereby the tacks may be readily dischar ed from the .slot 11, as will be clearly un erstood.

The upper portion of the hopper is secured in position by a screw 13 or other suitable securing means engaged transversely through the upper end of said funnel shaped guide and into the outer wall of the enlarged upperor outer end of the body 1 within which the feed hopper 4 is formed. The lower end of the hopper is secured in position, however, by the screw 14 threaded through the body 1 and into the outer end of the supporting pin 15, the inner end of which is engaged in the open horizontal 10 of the lower end of the funnel portion guide 8 and provided with a longishaped 'tudinal groove 16 in its lower face registerthe funnel shaped having secured to one face, oneend of a' tack guide 18 which is en-. gaged around the transverse portion of the lower end of the funnel shaped guide to guide the tacks along the longitudinal slot helical rotary 11 and groove 16 to the outer ends of the same, said guide 18 serving to retain the tacks in spaced relation and prevent more than one tack from being fed to the enlarged outer end of the slot 11 at a turn, when said guide 18 is rotated.

Extendin from within a spaced distance to a suitable distance beyond the small tapered end of the body 1, is the barrel 19 which has the inwardly curved arms 20 formed on its upper or inner end and engaged around the lower end of the funnel shaped guide 8 at the junction of the transverse portion with the curved portion thereof The barrel 19 is also secured in position by a screw 21 or other siuitable securing member engaged through the side of the body 1 and into the barrel 19. The barrel 19 has a central longitudinal plunger passage-22 and an outer longitudinal tack passage 23. The lower end 24 of the central longitudinal plunger passage 22 is reduced and of circular form in cross-section while the lower portlon 25 of the outer longitudinal tack passage 23 is curved and connected with the reduced circular lower portion 24 of the plunger passage 22. The upper end of the outer longitudinal tack passage 23 is flared to present a large open upper end with the inclined walls 26 to receive the tacks from the slot 11 and properly guide the same to the main portion of said outer longitudinal tack pas sage 23 with the points of said tacks directed downwardly.

It will be understood that the main portion of the central longitudinal plunger passage is preferably of rectangular form in cross-section to accommodate the plunger head 27 slidably mounted in the same and having the inner "end of the plunger 28 threaded therein, said plunger 28 working in the reduced circular portion 24 of the plunger passage 22. The plunger 28 and 'the plunger head 27 are resi iently retained in their outermost positions by the helical spring 29 which has one end thereof secured in the body 1 at its outer extremity. The opposite aced from the outer wall of the end of the spring is connected to a trigger bar 30 which is secured to the inner end of the plunger head 27, the trigger bar projecting outwardly through registering slots in the barrel 19 and the body 1.

The trigger bar 30 has its outer end inclosed in the handle 2 and has a pair of notches 31 and 32 in its lower face. Projecting upwardly from the trigger bar 30 is a longitudinally slotted arm 33 which is guided in its longitudinal movement by the angular guide arm 34 carried by the supporting pin 15 and having its free end loosely engaged around the upper portion of said .arm 33. \Vithin the longitudinal slot of the arm 33 is a. rack bar 35 which has the teeth 36 formed on its outer face near its inner or upper end and adapted fr. engagement with the pinion 17. The rack bar 35 has a plurality of inclined slots 37 formed therein,- through which are engaged the guide pins 38 positioned transversely through the slotted portion of the arm 33. The lower end of the rack bar 35 is pivoted upon the inner end of the rack bar actuating arm 39 which is extended at right angles to the rack bar and has its outer end pivoted to the perforated ear 40' separating the notches 31 and 32, said pivoted rack bar actuating arm .39 extending across the notch 32. The arm 39 is resiliently retained in inoperative position by the spring 41 having one end secured to the trigger bar 30 while its opposite end bears against said arm 39 to retain the latter in spaced relation with said trigger bar. It will be understood that the handle 2' has its opposite ends directed inwardly and that one end of said handle is preferably engaged over the reduced end of the body 1 and held in position against the same by the tapered nut 42 threaded upon the end of'the barrel 19 projecting beyond the reduced end of the body 1.

- .When a finger-is engaged in the notch 32 and the trigger bar 30 raised or drawn back against the tension of the helical spring 29, the rack bar 35 will be forced upwardly and outwardly previous to movement of the trigger bar 30 and upon theinward or upward movement of the trigger bar 30, the teeth 36- helical rotary tack guide 18 until one tack is guided to the enlarged outer end of the longitudinal slot 11 and released, said tack dropping upon the inclined walls 26 of the upper end of the outer tack passage 23 and finally finding its way to the reduced lower circular portion 24 of the plunger passage 22, in advance of the plunger 28. As soon as the trigger bar 30 is released, however, the rack be returned to normal position, thereby bar actuating arm 39 will drawing inwardly and downwardly upon the rack bar 35 and disengaging the teeth 36 thereof from the pinion 17. Owing to the strength of the helical spring 29, the plunger 28 will be forced outwardly or forwardly with suflicient force to drive the tack into the surface against which the end of the tapered nut 42 is engaged. Should it be desired to cause the plunger 28 to strike the tack a number of blows, the trigger bar 30 is drawn inwardly or rearwardly by engaging .the finger in the notch 31 only,

thereby preventing engagement of the teeth 36 of the rack bar 35 with'the pinion 17 to feed more tacks to the tack passage 23.

The trigger bar is automatically caught at the end of each inward or rearward movement thereof by the latch member 43 carried by the handle 2 and said trigger bar may be readily released to allow the helical spring 29 to return the same together wit-h the plunger 28 and plunger head 27 to normal position, by turning the latch member 43 by the handle 44 thereof.

In order that the tack may be properly supported in position while being driven into the material, I have provided a pair of opposed spring arms 45 having their inner ends 46 directed outwardly at about right angles and secured against the outer end of the barrel 19, at diametrically opposite points. The outer ends of the opposed spring arms 45 are engaged a ainst one another and tapered, and slig tly concaved upon their inner faces, whereby the tack may be readily held between said spring arms.

In order that the operator may know when the tack is driven'into the surface with its head engaged against the latter, I have provided a gong 47- mounted upon the angular guide arm and a stop arm carried by the longitudinally slotted arm 33- and adapted for engagement with the gong as said arm 33 completes its outward or for- Ward movement.

While I have shown the preferredwmbodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes inthe details of construction and; arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention orsacrificing any of the advantages of the same.

'What I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a body, a barrel in said body, a plunger mounted within said barrel, a tack compartment within said body, a tack'passage communicating with said barrel, a rotatable tack guiding and releasing member, means for moving the causing rotation of the tack guiding and releasing member to cause the tack to pass along the tack passage to a position forf and guiding member plunger inwardly and 'wa'rdly' of the plunger, and means for returning the plunger to normal position.

2. A device of the class described comprising the combination of a body, a barrel in said body, a tack compartment, a ro'tatable tack guiding and releasing'member, said barrel being provided with a tackpassage, a plunger in said barrel, means for moving the plunger inwardly, means connected to the last mentioned means for engagement with the rotatable guiding and releasing member to rotate the same upon inward movement of the plunger, and means for returning the plunger to normal position. I

3. A device of the class described com-' prising the combination of a body, a barrel in said body, a tack compartment, a tack guide, a tack guiding and releasing member, said barrel being provided with a tack passage, a plunger in said barrel, means for moving the plunger inwardly and causing operation-of'tlie tack guiding and releasing member to allow a tack to travel along the tack passage to position forwardly of the p1unger,and means for returning the plunger to normal position. V

,4. A device of the class described comprising the combination of a body, a barrel in said body, a plunger within sald barrel, a trigger connected with said plunger, a slotted arm carried by said trigger bar, a tack guiding and releasing member, a pinion connected with saidtack guiding and releasing member, means connected with the trigger bar and engaged in the slottedarm for rotating the pinion to operate the tack guiding and releasing member upon movement of the trigger bar in one direction, and means for returning the trigger bar and plunger to normal position.

5. A device of the class described comprising a tack feeding and guiding member, a tack guiding and releasing member engaged around one end of the first mentioned member, said end of the tack feeding being longitudinally slotted with one end of the slot enlarged, said tack guiding and releasing member being' arranged to guide tacks to the enlarged end of said slot and release said tacks in order, a plunger, means for drawing the plunger inwardly, means connected with the plunger for operating the tack guiding'and releasing member upon inward movement ofsaid plunger, and means for returning said plunger to normal position.

6. A device of the class described comprising the combination of a barrel, 9. plunger in said barrel,. said barrel being provided with a side longitudinal tack passage, the outer end of the bore of the barrel being reduced, said tack passage connecting at its .outer end with the reduced outer end of for operating the tack guiding and releasing member, and means 10 for returning the plunger to normal position. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the1presence of two witnesses. JOHN P.- GARDNER.

Witnesses: Jos. GOTTHART, E. E. Commas. 

